There is no doubt Mary Berry is one of the most respected bakers in the UK, so when she shares a new piece of advice, it is often replicated.
The legendary chef has come up with her own substitution for one of the key methods believed to make Victoria sponge cakes lighter and fluffier.
And it turns out, Mary doesn’t use the creaming and folding techniques anymore since finding a more practical method.
The former Great British Bake Off judge stressed that many people think baking is more complicated than it really is, but you can actually make a delicious cake in under an hour.
Writing for The Telegraph, Mary said: “I no longer prepare a Victoria sandwich with the traditional creaming and folding methods, as this all-in-one method gives excellent results every time.
“All that creaming of butter and sugar. I never seem to have the butter soft enough.
“And then the tins have to be lined and everything has to be just so.”
Instead of the traditional method of creaming sugar and butter together, Mary opts for baking spread.
She places it in a large mixing bowl with sugar, eggs, flour, and baking powder, mixing until smooth.
This all-in-one method can take as little as five minutes and Mary encourages aspiring bakers to use this approach for other classic cakes and biscuits as well.
The TV star continued: “Cakes, tea breads and biscuits can all be made quickly and easily with the minimum of fuss and trouble.
“There is no need to bother with fancy tins or piping bags to produce an informal, yet professional, finish to all kinds of teatime specialities.”
Mary pointed out that the most important part of the process was to “have fun” as you go along.
